Palm Beach County family court

[PREEMPTED effective June 15, 2026 by Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.515(d)(2) and AOSC26-12 — the statewide certification standard now controls.] Judge Scher requires any attorney or self-represented litigant who used a generative AI tool to disclose that use on the face of the filing — one of the first standing AI-disclosure mandates on the Palm Beach bench.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Effective June 15, 2026, every signer of a Florida court filing — attorney or self-represented — represents that "the legal authorities identified exist and are accurately cited," with express sanctions (reprimand, contempt, striking, dismissal, costs, fees) for violations. Companion order AOSC26-12 preempts ALL circuit- and judge-level AI disclosure/certification requirements.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Miller's QDRO rule is absolute: after the motion and plan-administrator pre-approval letter are filed, attorneys upload proposed orders via OLS while pro se litigants mail theirs in — "NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE." The Court also never acts on letters, notes, or e-mails.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Miller: exhibits for remote hearings must be premarked and physically delivered (U.S. mail or courthouse drop box) at least three business days out or they are not considered — e-mailed exhibits are refused, and evidentiary hearings are never remote.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Miller mandates pre-trial mediation after every Order Setting Trial — regardless of any earlier mediation — on pain of striking from the trial docket and sanctions up to dismissal without further notice or hearing.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Kroll publishes an enumerated list of who may appear remotely (youth from school via the School Liaison, parents from jail or treatment, DJJ liaisons, JPOs, case managers, CPIs, volunteer GALs, out-of-state parties) — everyone else moves for leave 3 days out, and no one appears from a moving vehicle.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Volker: routine orders through Online Services, but competing orders are e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant in Word with copies to all parties.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Volker holds all hearings in person absent special circumstances; Zoom requires e-mailed Court approval, and any remote-appearance NOH must list the judge's remote platform credentials.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Surber: Spanish and Creole interpreters require at least 5 working days' notice, and every attorney AND self-represented litigant must make and receive service by e-mail.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burton: 30-minute-plus special sets are requested by e-mail with case number, time needed, motion copy, and all parties included — and you do not prepare or send the order setting the hearing until the court has confirmed the date.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burton: orders arrive via OLS within 48 hours after (or up to 48 hours before) the hearing, the notes/comments section MUST carry his designated label (AGREED ORDER, ORDER AFTER HEARING, DISPUTED ORDER, FUTURE PROPOSED ORDER, PROBATE EX PARTE ORDER), and the date line reads "DONE and ORDERED in Palm Beach County, Florida."

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Schosberg Feuer: shorter courtesy copies arrive three business days before the hearing, but documents exceeding 10 pages total must come as a hard copy via U.S. mail only.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Surber: the prevailing party submits proposed orders within 3 days after the Court rules, and exhibits must be in at least five days before the hearing.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Schosberg Feuer: probate special sets are established by an Order Specially Setting — NOT a notice of hearing; 60 minutes or less schedules online, over an hour goes through the JA.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Rowe: every proposed order must be accompanied by a document either confirming all parties' agreement or identifying the disagreement — due within one week after the hearing.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Rowe routes hearings longer than 30 minutes through Case Management (not OLS); materials including case law due 3 business days out; remote appearance means camera on, microphone muted.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Harper refuses e-mailed orders (OLS submission only) and requires all hearings set through the Judicial Assistant rather than the Clerk, with defendant name and case number in every e-mail subject line.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burkhart will not schedule a temporary-relief hearing until mediation has been held ON the temporary relief sought — mediation first, hearing second.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Harper: documentation over 40 pages arrives as hard copies in a binder, labeled and tabbed; hearings are in person except special circumstances; every party's phone and e-mail on file.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Rowe wants any pre-trial substantive motion needing more than 10 minutes per side brought to the Court's attention at least 10 days before trial; continuances get no due-diligence excuse.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burkhart's UMC checklist: provide the testifying party's driver license, the settlement agreement, parenting plan, and child-support guideline worksheet — orders within two days after via OLS.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burkhart runs all UMC hearings on the Court's static Zoom link, but wants evidentiary-hearing case law, motions, and memoranda in HARD COPY at least three days before — and the Judge must get a courtesy copy of the Notice for Trial.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Scher enforces brief discipline: memoranda capped at ten pages, legal authority limited to the best three cases per issue absent good cause, and string citations banned.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Weiss: case law and memos to chambers five business days before the hearing, and every exhibit a party intends to use listed on a notice of discovery and provided to the other side five business days out.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Scher requires a written numbered list of every disputed asset and liability with proposed values two business days before the hearing — and pre-trial stipulations that NAME the witnesses, not just attach lists.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Weiss pulled discovery-compel motions off Zoom entirely: all Motions to Compel Discovery are set for in-person hearings; special sets are requested by e-mail (not OLS) with the motion attached.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Weiss requires all proposed orders and final judgments on OLS in Word at least two days BEFORE the hearing — and the Judge must receive an e-mailed courtesy copy of any Notice for Trial.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Scher: proposed orders no earlier than 48 hours before and no later than 48 hours after the hearing, with the required designation typed in the notes/comments using her exact language.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Keever-Agrama's office is the courthouse outlier: it does not communicate via e-mail at all — call the Judicial Assistant, including for special-set dates.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Keever-Agrama: proposed order uploads first with exhibits following, motion and order 48 hours before the hearing (UMC materials 3 business days via OLS), no date needed in "Done and Ordered" — and MAIL a courtesy trial notice "or the Judge will not be aware."

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Keever-Agrama: any litigant testifying at a Zoom UMC or evidentiary hearing must be physically present with their attorney at the same location, in a quiet and stationary place.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burke requires all case law and written responses the parties rely on filed at least two business days before the hearing, with a PDF courtesy copy of the motion e-mailed to the court.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Leitner is the family lane's paper judge: courtesy copies of UMC and special-set motions, memoranda, and case authority are PRINTED and sent via U.S. Mail.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Burke hears motions to modify no-contact with minor children ONLY on Thursdays at 11:00 AM — and a DCF recommendation is required before the modification is heard.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Castor: courtesy copies of motions go to the court by e-mail as PDF, case law and responses 3 business days ahead, and agreed orders require an e-mail showing both parties agree — orders in Word via Online Services.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Leitner requires trial exhibit and witness lists exchanged within 45 days before trial, and every notice, motion, referral, and Magistrate objection must state its docket entry number.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Leitner: proposed orders upload the DAY BEFORE the UMC hearing, a maximum of three motions per case may be set, and temporary custody matters are NEVER UMC — they are special set.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.